Top 50 Best Latina And Hispanic Actresses Of All Time [2025 Updated]

Renowned actor Lupita Amondi Nyong'o is as much a Mexican as she is Kenyan.

Recipient of an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Daytime Emmy Award, and four NAACP Image Awards, she has been seen in motion pictures such as Us, Black Panther, and the Star Wars sequel trilogy.

She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 12 Years a Slave.

The actress with gorgeous dark brown hair is undoubtedly one of the most popular film stars to feature on our story.

Known for her roles in both Spanish cinema and Hollywood, Penélope Cruz has been a part of motion pictures that belong to different genres.

The talented star has been a recipient of an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award.

In addition to her wins, she has also been nominated for five Screen Actors Guild Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award, respectively.

One of the most popular multi-faceted women in the world, Selena Gomez is a third-generation American-Mexican who has been trying to embrace her roots ever since she stepped into the entertainment industry.

An actress, singer, songwriter, businesswoman, and producer, she began her career as a child artist by starring in the children's television series Barney & Friends.

However, she rose to prominence after her portrayal of Alex Russo on the Disney Channel sitcom, titled Wizards of Waverly Place.

Sooner than later, she formed the pop-rock band Selena Gomez & the Scene and started releasing albums. Not only did she continue to deliver one hit song after another but she also managed to make her presence felt in television shows and movies.

Today, she is the most followed woman on the planet on the popular social media Instagram.

There is no denying that "J. Lo" Lopez is a multi-talented artist. Not only is she a decent screen actor but she is also a globally popular singer and dancer.

She established herself as the highest-paid Latin actress in Hollywood after having appeared in movies such as Anaconda and Out of Sight.

Among the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood today, Lopez has been seen in motion pictures such as Parker, Maid in Manhattan, and The Boy Next Door, among others.

This Puerto Rican-born American actress has also been a fantastic dancer and singer.

Her contribution to the entertainment industry can be gauged from the fact that she has now been working for over 70 years.

She has been a part of numerous television, film, and theater projects throughout her career.

Rita Moreno has been seen in feature films such as Singin' in the Rain, The King and I, and in the 1961 and 2021 film adaptations of West Side Story.

A self-proclaimed science fiction geek, Zoe Saldaña began her acting career on the show Law & Order at the fag end of the '90s. Her debut motion picture was Center Stage, in which she portrayed the role of a ballet dancer.

The actress has been a part of popular motion pictures such as The Terminal, Star Trek, Avatar, Death at a Funeral, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Adam Project, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.

Her aforementioned credits are a testament to the fact that she is one of the biggest stars to grace our story with her presence today.

The smart and sexy Salma Hayek is arguably the most famous Latina/Hispanic actress in the whole wide world.

The sensational Mexican-American actress and producer began her acting career in Mexico after having been a part of projects such as Teresa and El Callejón de Los Milagros.

However, she hit global fame after taking the American film industry by storm.

Some of her better-known roles have come in motion pictures such as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, Wild Wild West, Dogma, and the Grown Ups series.

This seasoned actress earned an Oscar nomination in 2003 for her role in the movie Frida.

Now, this might come across as a total surprise for our beloved readers but the famous film star, Cameron Diaz, is a Latina.

Once named among the "50 Most Beautiful People" in the world by People Magazine, the stunning actress made her big-screen debut by starring opposite Jim Carrey in the 1994 film 'The Mask.

Tipped to be the highest-paid actress over the age of 40 in 2013, she has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a BAFTA Award, respectively.

America Ferrera, who is perhaps known for wincing frequently while delivering her lines, has got to be one of the most famous television personalities to make it to our story today.

An actress, producer, and director, she developed an interest in acting at a very young age.

She made her feature film debut with Real Women Have Curves in 2002.

Since then, she has been seen in television and movie projects such as Ugly Betty,'End of Watch, The Dry Land, and Our Family Wedding, among others.

Her amazing performance in Ugly Betty got her a lot many awards and well-deserved fame.

Sônia Braga is a popular Brazilian veteran film star who has appeared in several film and television projects in American cinema.

She has delivered Golden Globe Award-nominated performances in titles such as Kiss of the Spider Woman and Moon over Parador.

Furthermore, she even went on to receive a BAFTA Award nomination for her role play in the project Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands in 1981.

Those who have followed the inimitable Anya Taylor-Joy closely would know that she identifies herself as a white Latina.

The superstar may be young, but she has already managed to win the hearts of millions of viewers worldwide.

A recipient of a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, Anya is one of the best young actresses working anywhere in the world today.

Named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time, she has been a part of acclaimed shows and movies such as The Queen's Gambit, Emma, The Witch, and Split, to mention a few.

The beautiful and resourceful Rosario Isabel Dawson was first seen on-screen in the popular mid-90s independent teen drama film, Kids.

She is known for having played a part in quite a few comic-book adaptations and has also been seen in motion pictures such as He Got Game, Sin City, Josie and the Pussycats, Rent, Men in Black II, Clerks II, Death Proof, and Seven Pounds.

Dawson won the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her role in Rent. Also, she received a well-deserved nomination for the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in a Comedy for her performance in Top Five.

Jessica Marie Alba started facing the camera when she was only 13 years old.

While she was first seen in projects such as Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack, it was her performance in the television series Dark Angel that brought her critical acclaim.

For the aforementioned show, she received a Golden Globe nomination.

The gorgeous lady has been seen in feature films such as Fantastic Four, Valentine's Day, Little Fockers, Machete, and Sin City.

Eva Longoria was first recognized after portraying Isabella Braña on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless.

She shot to fame after appearing on ABC's Desperate Housewives. For her performance in the same, she received both Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

She has been a part of films such as The Sentinel, For Greater Glory, Over Her Dead Body, Lowriders, and Overboard, among others.

María Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado García, who was professionally known as Katy Jurado, started her career in Mexican films.

During the early 1950s, she was noticed and recruited by American filmmakers to make a splash in Hollywood.

Needless to say, she was soon seen in prominent Western films.

She played different kinds of roles in every other project that she was a part of.

The first Latin American actress to be nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role in Broken Lance, Jurado is one of those actresses who is credited with paving the way for several other Mexican actors in Hollywood.

The menacing Michelle Rodriguez announced her arrival in style after playing a disturbed boxer in the independent sports drama movie Girlfight.

For her performance in the same, she ended up winning the Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award for Best Debut Performance.

She has acted in the Fast & Furious franchise as one of its main characters. Rodriguez can also be seen in motion pictures such as S.W. A. T., Battle: Los Angeles, Avatar, and the Resident Evil franchise, among others.

She is often seen playing characters that involve a lot of action scenes like fist fighting, gun fighting, or martial arts.

Known for her expressive dark brown eyes, Aubrey Plaza may not be very old but she certainly is one of the most experienced actresses to make it to our story.

With over 80 titles to her credit already, the actress has managed to thrill the audience with the amazing range of characters that she has played.

She can be seen in shows such as Parks and Recreation and Legion.

While she played her leading film role in Safety Not Guaranteed, she has also been seen in feature films such as Mystery Team, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Happiest Season, Black Bear, and Ingrid Goes West, among others.

Paz Vega is of the biggest and most beautiful Latina stars to have ever graced the silver screen.

She has been a part of popular feature films such as Sex and Lucia, Spanglish, All Roads Lead to Rome, Acts of Vengeance, and Rambo: Last Blood.

After having made her debut screen appearance on the Spanish television show Menudo es mi padre, she went on to feature in shows such as Más que amigos and Compañeros.

She made her film debut with Zapping in 1999, and has since worked in European, Spanish, French, Latin America, and many more countries.

The amazingly popular and pretty Ana de Armas began her acting career in her home country of Cuba by playing the main lead in the 2006 romantic drama Una rosa de Francia.

While she has been a part of erotic flicks such as Knock Knock and Dark Water, she has also gone on to demonstrate that she can act; thanks to her believable character projection in Knives Out.

Her participation in No Time to Die seemed to have helped her career get a boost, but it was her portrayal of Norma Jeane (a.k.a. Marilyn Monroe) in Blonde that managed to make headlines the world over.

Sure, many of us chanced upon Jenna Ortega while she was portraying Ellie Alves in the hit Netflix series You. However, she is known to have participated in a number of television shows and films prior to her stint on You.

She can be seen in projects such as Jane the Virgin, Scream VI, X, The Fallout, and Disney's Stuck in the Middle, to name a few. That said, the Mexican-Puerto Rican actress gained further fame as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday.

For her performance in the same, she received nominations at the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Dolores del Río was arguably the first Mexican actress to have been a sensation internationally.

She had a remarkable film career in American cinema during the 1920s and the 1930s.

Considered by many to be among the most beautiful screen actors in cinema history, Dolores went on to fascinate the audience with her presence in motion pictures such as Resurrection, Evangeline, and Ramona.

Gina Rodriguez made her television debut on the hit show Law & Order.

She is known for having portrayed Jane Villanueva efficiently in The CW satirical romantic dramedy series Jane the Virgin.

For her role in the show, she even received a well-deserved Golden Globe Award in 2015.

She has been in films such as Filly Brown, Scoob!, Miss Bala, Deepwater Horizon, and Annihilation.

Stephanie Beatriz Bischoff Alvizuri, famously known as Stephanie Beatriz, is best known for playing the role of Detective Rosa Diaz in the Fox/NBC comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

She also played a decent part in the 2021 film adaptation of the musical drama In the Heights.

The actress had had a recurring role to play in the hit comedy series Modern Family, and can also be seen appearing in independent movie projects such as The Light of the Moon and Short Term 12.

This stunning Colombian and American film star was the highest-paid actress in American television from 2013 to 2020.

Sofia rose to prominence after playing a significant character in the hit ABC comedy series Modern Family. She was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards, and eleven Screen Actors Guild Awards for her spectacular performance in the same.

She has also marked her presence in movies such as Chasing Papi, Four Brothers, Meet the Browns, and Madea Goes to Jail, among others.

When the term "Afro-Latinx" was gaining prominence during the 2010s, Naya Rivera was one of the few actors who was identified to be a part of the community.

The late actor had started facing the camera as a child itself.

She appeared in a number of national television commercials before her stint on television shows and in the movies.

She got the golden opportunity to play the role of Hillary Winston on the CBS sitcom The Royal Family. For her performance in the same, she ended up getting nominated for the Young Artist Award.

However, it was her portrayal of a lesbian cheerleader on the Fox television series Glee that brought her fame and acclaim.

The international sex symbol of the 1960s, Raquel Welch is undoubtedly one of the most popular actresses to make it to our list.

She first rose to prominence after having played a role in Fantastic Voyage. Soon after, she made her striking presence felt in motion pictures such as Bedazzled, Bandolero!, 100 Rifles, Myra Breckinridge, and Hannie Caulder, among others.

Welch, who has also been a part of several television variety specials, was one of those film stars whose posters used to sell the most at the peak of her career.

Bella Thorne might just be a surprising addition to most of you reading our story today.

Recipient of an Imagen Award, a Shorty Award, a Teen Choice Award, and three Young Artist Awards, the actress has admitted to getting her skin and hair darkened to look closer to her heritage.

She has been seen in films and television projects such as Blended, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip, Infamous, The DUFF, Amityville: The Awakening, Girl, and The Babysitter film series.

Madeleine Marie Stowe Mora, who is professionally known as Madeleine Stowe, is another seasoned Latina screen performer to make it to our list.

The actress was mostly seen playing roles on television before making her big-screen debut in the crime-comedy flick Stakeout in 1987.

She has appeared in well-known movies such as Revenge, Blink, Unlawful Entry, and The Last of the Mohicans, among others.

Stowe went on to win the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the independent drama film Short Cuts.

The ravishing Rachel went on to prove her acting skills by starring as María in Steven Spielberg's 2021 adaptation of West Side Story. She earned a Golden Globe for her performance in the same.

Born to a Colombian mother, the blossoming star is in her early 20s and is already tipped to be a part of several big-ticket releases in the near future.

While she will be seen portraying Snow White in Disney's live-action adaptation of the 1937 classic, we will also catch playing Lucy Gray Baird in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Rita Hayworth, who was born Margarita Carmen Cansino, is arguably the most popular Hispanic actress of her time to make it to our story.

She achieved unprecedented fame during the 1940s and was the favorite pin-up girl for GIs during the Second World War.

She went on to become so popular that the press had no option but to refer to her as the ultimate "Love Goddess." 

Arguably the most glamorous film star of the 1940s, Hayworth has been a part of motion pictures such as Gilda, Only Angels Have Wings, Pal Joey, Blood and Sand, and The Lady from Shanghai.

The scintillating Lupe Vélez was yet another screen performer who tried her best to pave the way for Latina actresses into mainstream cinema.

She was a popular actress, dancer, and singer during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

By the end of the 1920s, she was seen playing a role in several silent films.

She could be seen portraying significant characters in feature films such as The Gaucho, Lady of the Pavements, and Wolf Song, to name a few.

Morena Baccarin made her debut in 2001 rose to prominence after playing a role in the science fiction series, Firefly.

The actress, who continued to shine in shows such as Homeland and Gotham, has also been seen in motion pictures such as Serenity and the Deadpool franchise.

Baccarin received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013 for her terrific performance in Homeland.

Judy Reyes, who has confessed that she always wanted to become an actor, grew up in a restricted household where her mother constantly told her that acting was for White folks.

However, the young one continued to pursue her dream and was able to accomplish it dutifully.

So far, Reyes has been seen in television and film projects such as Scrubs, Devious Maids, Claws, NYPD Blue, The Sopranos, and Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story, to name a few.

Alexa Ellesse PenaVega is one of the most experienced performers to make it to our story.

Not only has she been a part of motion pictures such as the Spy Kids film series, Follow the Stars Home, and Sleepover but she has also made an appearance on shows such as Ruby & the Rockits, ER, and Ghost Whisperer.

It is said that she performed her own stunts while shooting for the three Spy Kids feature films.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Eiza González is one of the most refreshing talents to make it to our list.

The actress first rose to prominence after having appeared on shows such as Lola, érase una vez and Sueña conmigo.

She found greater fame once she was selected to be a part of the American horror series From Dusk till Dawn: The Series.

While her charming performance in Baby Driver made her a familiar face to fans worldwide, she continued to impress by partaking in projects such as I Care a Lot and Ambulance.

Victoria Justice is a talented young performer who has already received several accolades.

Not only has she won two Young Artist Awards but she has also been nominated for three Imagen Awards, an NAACP Image Award, and three Kids Choice Awards, respectively.

She has been a part of television projects such as Zoey 101, Gilmore Girls, and Victorious, among others.

Her film credits include Fun Size, Trust, The First Time, Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List, and The Outcasts, to name a few.

Eva Mendes is an actress, businesswoman, model, and one of our top picks.

The beautiful film star kick-started her journey after featuring in movies such as Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror and Urban Legends: Final Cut during the late 1990s.

She came into her own after her terrific performance in Training Day.

Mendes was then seen in popular mainstream features such as 2 Fast 2 Furious, Hitch, Ghost Rider, and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, and the critically acclaimed The Place Beyond the Pines.

Melissa Barrera is a Mexican actress who has already made a name for herself after featuring in projects such as Siempre tuya Acapulco, Tanto amor, and the Netflix series Club de Cuervos.

The actress starred in the slasher horror feature Scream in 2022 and shot to fame after playing the lead role in the drama series Vida.

She continued to grab eyeballs by performing in titles such as In the Heights and Keep Breathing.

Cote de Pablo is a Chilean-American actor and singer who moved to the United States of America at the age of 10 to study acting.

She is known to have made an appearance in a number of television shows before she was cast to play a significant character in the series NCIS.

Cote also played a role each in The $treet and the CBS drama The Education of Max Bickford.

Sara Paxton is an actor, voice artist, and singer who happens to be half Mexican.

But, since there's a relentless stereotype regarding how a Latina is "supposed" to look, people often cease to recognize her ethnic background.

The actress rose to fame after having appeared in television and film projects such as Darcy's Wild Life, Summerland, Aquamarine, Return to Halloweentown, Sydney White, Superhero Movie, and The Innkeepers, among others.

Christian Marie Serratos is best known for playing Rosita Espinosa in AMC's hit television show The Walking Dead.

The actress is also known for having featured in projects such as Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and The Twilight Saga.

That said, she was seen portraying The Queen Of Tejano singer Selena efficiently in Netflix's Selena: The Series for a year between 2020 and 2021.

Her performance as Angela Weber in Twilight is credited with fetching her deserving critical acclaim.

Roselyn Sánchez is another multi-talented performer to make it to our piece today.

The Puerto Rican artist is a singer and songwriter who has managed to prove herself as a dancer, model, actress, producer, and writer as well.

Her television credits include projects such as Without a Trace, Devious Maids, and Fantasy Island, among others.

When it comes to cinema, she has appeared in feature films such as Rush Hour 2, The Game Plan, Act of Valor, and Boat Trip, to name a few.

Melissa Fumero is an actress and director who rose to prominence after having played the role of Amy Santiago in the FOX/NBC sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

The show had won a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

Fumero delivered her debut performance as the main lead in the independent film Tiny Dancer in 2009.

The following year, she was seen in five episodes of Gossip Girl.

Odette Annable is a gorgeous screen performer who has been seen doing several film and television roles ever since she debuted at the dawn of the '90s.

Her television credits include shows such as House, October Road, Banshee, and Supergirl, to name a few.

She had roles to play in movies such as Reckless Behavior: Caught on Tape, The Unborn, Walk Hard, and Cloverfield, among others.

Odette is known to have been a supporter of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 United States presidential election.

Aimee Sandimés Garcia López de Ordóñez, who is famously known as Aimee Garcia, claims to be a "full-blown" Latina herself.

The cute-looking actress has been a part of popular television shows such as Trauma, George Lopez, Vegas, Dexter, Lucifer, and All About the Andersons, to name a few.

She has also been a part of motion pictures such as Spanglish, RoboCop, Major Movie Star, and D-War, among others.

Born in Medellín, Colombia, in 1998, Isabella Gomez is perhaps best known for starring in One Day at a Time. However, if you have seen the shows Modern Family or Matador, you will certainly be able to recognize her.

The actress, who started acting in commercials at the young age of five, was signed to play the role of Alicia Gomez in 2021's sitcom Head of the Class.

The National Hispanic Media Coalition awarded her an Impact Award for her amazing performance in the One Day at a Time reboot on Netflix in 2020.

In 2015, she moved to Los Angeles along with her family to be fully able to concentrate on her acting projects.

This raven-haired beauty made her screen debut on the television show All My Children in the mid-1990s. She is better known for her character projection in the blockbuster Fast & Furious series of motion pictures.

However, she has also made a name for herself by appearing in a show like As the World Turns, for which she received a nomination for the Outstanding Teen Performer at the Soap Opera Digest Award in 1997.

That said, her debut feature film role was in Robert Rodriguez's horror science fiction project, The Faculty.

The charming Camilla Belle featured in a number of commercials for popular brands at the beginning of her career.

The actress also happens to be a film director and producer.

Her most significant role as a mainstream performer has got to be the one that she played in the Roland Emmerich-directed big-budget drama, 10,000 BC.

The film hit the screens in 2008 and ended up grossing over $269 million at the global box office.

Maria Montez is also one of the few actresses who is credited with carving a path for aspiring Latina actresses in mainstream cinema.

Known as the "Queen Of Technicolor", the actress played a ton of seductive roles in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure films during the 1940s.

She was seen wearing fancy costumes and sparkling jewelry in most of the motion pictures that she was a part of.

It is not surprising then that she was also known to be a self-promoter of sorts.

This Cuban-American actress started modeling at the age of 15. Soon after, she decided to make her transition to acting.

One of her first film roles was in the 2008 thriller Death Race. However, between 2003 and 2011, Natalie was seen in quite a few music videos.

When it comes to TV shows, the actress can be seen in Kingdom, Detroit 1-8-7, CSI: NY, The I-Land, and Ordinary Joe, to name a few.

She has also been a part of film projects such as End of Watch, Reminiscence, Message from the King, and The Land.